Liberty or death,
What we so proudly hail,
Once you provoke her,
Rattling of her tail.
Never begins it,
Never but once engaged,
Never surrenders,
Showing the fangs of rage.
Say don't tread on me.
So be it.
Threaten no more,
to secure peace is,
to prepare for war.
So be it.
Settle the score.
Trust me again with
the words you will hear evermore.
MetallicaDon't Tread on Me

Tracy walked into the basement of the abandoned
building and looked around. No sign of him. Great. Tracy and
Kierthos had gotten to Chicago two days ago, and after having
sold the car they stole from Dynamax to a chop shop, they had
been hiding out. Tracy had finally found an old friend of hers in
town and had come back to the building she and Kierthos had been
staying in to get him. But it looked like he had left again.

Even though Tracy had told Kierthos to stay
here, he had disappeared several times. "Damn amnesia of
his. He forgets everything." She walked through the
basement, heading towards the crumbling stairs in the back. On
the way, she noticed the number of weapons Kierthos had been
'collecting' from the locals had grown in size. There were knives
of all sizes, a couple of pairs of nunchakas, and a spiked
baseball bat. "Why can't he get their guns too? Then at
least we'd have some decent weapons." Although Tracy's Omega
power was formidable, she had to touch her target to affect it.

Walking up the stairs to the first floor of the
building, she saw Kierthos entering through one of the numerous
holes in the building. "Where have you been? I told you to
wait here? Is that too much to ask?" He just stared at her
for a minute and walked past her, back down to the basement.
"Christ, it was easier being a thief." As she followed
him back down to the basement, she saw what he had 'acquired'
today. From the beat-up pack he was carrying, he removed a pair
of sai, a large knife, and... a crossbow? "Where did you get
this?" she grabbed the crossbow. This was all she needed,
for him to start stealing things. He'd bring down the cops on
them both.

Kierthos stared at her again, and then took the
crossbow back. "I traded for it. The merchant gave me this
for two of the guns I had." Tracy grimaced. Knowing the
thugs around here, she realized that Kierthos had probably just
traded away two 9mils for a $30 crossbow. "Where are the
arrows, or bolts, or whatever?" She looked up. Great, the
dummy finally gets a distance weapon, and doesn't get any ammo
for it.

"I do not need them." Kierthos began
to clean his collection of weapons again. Tracy shook her head.
"Slow down. We have to go somewhere. I found a friend who
can help us out." Kierthos nodded and put away most of the
weapons. Keeping a few with him, he put on a trenchcoat, another
item he had 'acquired' from the local youth, and picked up the
crossbow. Somehow, he was able to hide it under the trenchcoat
without looking like he was carrying any weapons.

"This friend you found can help us find
this Colony you spoke of?" Kierthos and Tracy walked out of
the basement. "Yeah, Greg's an Omega himself, but he never
joined the Colony. But he knows most things that happen in this
city. Besides, he owes me a favor." Tracy grinned as they
walked down the street.

Tracy walked down the street, trying to avoid
anything and anyone that could set Kierthos off. His amnesia was
working overtime, giving him no small amount of paranoia as well.
Which did not sit well with Tracy, or with the cops, or even the
gang members guarding the door of the bar Tracy tried to get
into.

"So, you and mister jumpy here got bizness
inside, little girl?" one of the gang members got into her
face as she tried to open the door. Several others moved closer.
"I'm meeting Greg inside. You got a problem with that?"

"You could say I do. You see, we at a
state of war right now, and nobody, I mean nobody gets inside to
see the man without us checking them out first." He
signaled, and the other gang members pulled out pistols.

"Shit" Tracy started to duck, knowing
Kierthos was about to kick into high gear, when a voice from
inside the building spoke up. "But what if I want to see
them as they are, Jackson? Let them in, now."

Tracy turned back to the gang member, who had
his arms crossed. "Well, I guess you and the man got a
meeting after all. You and your pal can go on in." Jackson
seemed visibly impressed that Tracy was this trusted by Greg.

Tracy opened the door and walked inside,
followed closely by Kierthos and a couple of the gang members.
"Greg, you asshole, what's the idea? You knew we were
coming." Tracy was not pleased to see her old boyfriend.

"Like Jackson said, we're at war right
now. A couple of the other gangs want us dead right now. And the
family is helping them. Seems no one likes an Omega running
anything around here."

"When he happens to be a telepathic crook,
who rips off everyone, and I mean everyone else, gee I'm so
surprised about that." Tracy had seen this coming months
ago. She left to avoid being caught in a firefight. And then her
Omega powers erupted in a spectacular display, which had the
unfortunate effect of Dynamax noticing her.

"Greg, I came here for a reason. I need to
know where the Colony is. I need to find them real bad."
Tracy hated coming to Greg for anything, but this was the only
way she knew to get the information she needed.

"And so you come to me, is that it? I wish
I could tell you, but I can't." Greg shrugged and started to
turn away.

"Greg, damnit, nothing goes on in this
town without you knowing about it. Now I need to know."
Tracy pointed to Kierthos. "He's an Omega, and he needs more
help then I can give him right now. I got my own problems."

"Listen, Tracy, right now, everyone has
their own problems. I have to try and keep my people alive right
now when everything is coming down on us. I should be glad the
feds haven't found out about me, but I suppose it's only a matter
of time. And you come strolling back in after running off and
want help to find the Colony? Give me one reason why I should
even help you find that bunch?"

Tracy grabbed a half-full bottle of soda water
from the bar. "Well, for one thing, I'm an Omega too."
Tracy froze the bottle solid and dropped it back on the bar.
"So, maybe it would be nice if you told me what I need to
know so I can get out of here. I figure you've got enough
problems without Dynamax breathing down your neck."

Greg was caught a bit off guard by Tracy's
outburst. "Look, you know I'm not fond of those Colony guys,
but I'd help you if I could. But the Colony has left
Chicago."

Tracy sat down on one of the stools. Kierthos,
who had been silent since entering the bar, walked over towards
her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I was just hoping to find the
Colony. I was kind of hoping they would be able to help me out...
help me get me life back together."

Greg walked over as well. "I hate to
interrupt this touching moment, but what was that bit about
Dynamax? I know they've got an interest in Omegas, but I haven't
heard anything bizarre going on."

"Huh, guess you don't know everything that
goes on." Tracy said.

"Like I said, I really don't need the feds
coming after me right now. And Dynamax is working a touch too
closely with the feds on a few things right now..." Greg
said. "I don't know exactly what, but I've picked up a few
things."

"Dynamax held me prisoner for a week, and
was planning on cutting me open to see how I worked. Same with
him." Tracy pointed to Kierthos.

Now it was Greg's turn to be stunned.
"Shit... I figured that they weren't in this to 'better
mankind' but I didn't think they were that sleazy. Did they hurt
you? Are you ok? How did you escape?"

"We're fine. Look it's a long story I'd
rather not go into now. Right now is not the best time for
it." Tracy had to smile a bit. Greg still had a heart after
all this time. What a shock.

Greg thought for a minute. "Wait, why
haven't you gone to the news with this? I got some friends in the
industry who would love a story like this."

"Yeah, right. And then it would come out
that I'm a renegade Omega, as well as a convicted felon. That'll
make my story real believable. Face it, right now Dynamax has all
the cards. Anyway, I don't want to bring them down right now. I
don't think I could be myself. That's one of the reasons why I
wanted to find the Colony. You know, see if they'd help me, or
something."

"Well, I'm not sure of the reliability of
this, but I have heard that something went down in Detroit
recently. Maybe the Colony relocated there." Greg reached
behind the bar and grabbed a bag. "Here... you're going to
need some money to get there. This should be enough."

Kierthos suddenly tensed and dove towards
Tracy, knocking her to the floor. An instant before gunfire
erupted through the bar, Greg dropped to the ground, screaming
about an attack. Screams of pain were heard from outside, and the
front door was kicked in. Two men entered, holding machine guns.
Rather than the gang punks Tracy had expected, the two were well
dressed, and very well armed. {Just what I need right now... a
mafia attack.} Greg's thoughts echoed in Tracy's mind.

Before the gunmen could open fire on the three
of them, Kierthos rolled over, pulled out his crossbow, and
fired. The lack of a bolt didn't seem to bother him, as one of
the hitmen fell to the ground, clutching at his shoulder.
Although no bolt had been fired, the gunman was bleeding heavily.
Kierthos fired again, getting the other one in the throat,
killing him.

Another few brief bursts of gunfire, and all
was quiet. Jackson looked out the front door, and came back into
the bar. "We lost four guys. An' we got another couple who
don't look so hot."

Kierthos grabbed the surviving gunman off the
floor and slammed him onto the bar, scattering broken glass
everywhere. "You will talk or you will die." Kierthos
pulled a large knife out and held it against the man's throat.
Greg whispered to Tracy. "I like your friend. He's nice and
subtle. How did he do that trick with the crossbow? There's no
bolts in the wounds."

"I have no idea." Tracy and Greg
stopped talking as the gunman spilled his guts before Kierthos
had the chance. "Tony Sanducci sent us. He's tired of you
ripping off his runners. We were supposed to get as many of you
as we could and get out."

"I was expecting this." Greg said.
"And although I hate to do this... I have to if I want to
keep my people alive." Greg grabbed the gunman from
Kierthos. "You tell Sanducci that I'm working for Losetti
now. And that if wants to start a war, he can have one."
Greg shoved the gunman out the door. "Jackson, make sure he
gets back to Sanducci. Then see that he has an accident. That is,
if Sanducci doesn't kill him first."

"Get out of here. Hell, I'm not sure if
Losetti well protect me. Even though I never ripped him off, he
may sell me to the highest bidder, if you get my meaning."
Greg walked over to Tracy and kissed her. "Take care of
yourself." Looking at Kierthos, Greg added, "You watch
out for her. If anything, I mean anything happens to her, I'm
coming after you." Kierthos nodded. This he understood.

Ausford activated the tracking system. Using
the global satelites, he was able to pinpoint their location.
Chicago. He would be there inside of an hour.

Moving to the back of the plane, he looked over
his equipment. Orders had come down that they were to be taken
alive, so Ausford had to restrict his choices of weaponry.
Tasers, tranquilizer guns, and catch nets were stowed away. He
then turned to the armor. Specially designed to counter the
cryo-kinetic powers of the girl, they were able to channel the
cold back at whoever Ausford aimed at. Not that he was expecting
to let the girl touch him again.

Kierthos picked up the weapons he had bought at
the dojo and began to practice with them. Tracy walked downstairs
during his practice to watch him. No matter what weapons he used,
he seemed to be a master with them. He had already gone through
complex katas with nunchaka, sai, and a wicked looking sword.

"I hope you're almost done... I'd like to
leave before sunset." In response, Kierthos stopped
practicing, and began packing away all of the weapons he had
accumulated over the past several days. "Say, how did you do
that trick with the crossbow? There was no way that should have
happened. No way at all."

"Would it surprise you to hear me say that
I do not know how it was accomplished either?" Kierthos
grabbed the duffel bag and walked upstairs. Tracy followed him.
Then climbed in the used car Tracy had bought, and drove off.

Doug got off the phone with Tony Losetti. The
mob boss had been quite surprised when Doug said that he would
like to join up with him. Losetti had also said that he'd keep
Sanducci's boys off of Doug's back. So it was a bit of a surprise
when six men walked in the bar. Doug didn't recognize any of
them, and he knew all of Losetti's guys. And he couldn't read any
of their minds, either.

"We understand you are a past acquaintance
of Tracy Montgomery." one of the men in black said. The
bastard didn't even bother showing a picture. They knew they were
in the right place. "And we were wondering if you had seen
her lately."

"And if I had, why should I tell
you?" Doug realized these guys must work for Dynamax. No way
in hell were they going to let Tracy go. Not when she could blow
the whistle on them.

"It could be very profitable for you if
you are able to help us." the man pulled a wad of bills out
of his pocket. "You might consider this fifty thousand
dollars a down payment, in fact." He placed the money on the
bar counter. "Of course, if you can't help us.... well, I'm
sure you can help us."

Doug thought for a second. Then gunfire erupted
from all sides of the bar as his gang mowed down the men in
black. When the gunfire stopped, only one of them was still
moving. "One, I never roll over on a friend. Two, you should
never screw with a telepath."

"Three.... check for kevlar." The
last man grabbed Doug and threw him against the wall. Doug fell
to the ground unconscious, the last thing he heard was more
gunfire... and screams.

"Ausford to base. Nothing here. The
targets appear to have left Chicago." If only the blasted
tracker hadn't stopped working. And he had been so close. Ausford
left the bar behind him. The papers would report it as a brutal
gangland attack with no survivors.

Next Issue: Kierthos and Tracy arrive in Detroit to find the
Colony...and they find it destroyed. (A Tazakles Gambit tie-in).
Plus, more revalations about Kierthos' past and powers.